Normalizer



W. DOBLE NORMALI ZER Feb. 21, 1933.

Filed sept. 22, 1927 INVENTOR BVM/@fren ob/e Ms ATTO YS Patented Feb. 21, 1933,

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WARREN DOBLE, OE OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, AssIGNoR To DOBLE STEAM MOTORS CORPORATION, or WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE NORMALIZER Application filed September 22, 1927.V 'Serial No. 221,262.

My invention relates to lvapor generatingsystems and especially to devices Afor controlling the output of evaporators such as steam boilers. The device, which I have termed a normalizer, is advantageously employed in locomotives, stationary and marine plants/and in steam automobiles, and is especially desirable when an accurate and precise plant operation is requisite.

In steam automobile plants thereispreferably little or no supervision, and since it is highly desirable to have steam at practically constant temperature despite variations in demand, there is a need for automatic regulation which is precise. In larger plants, the steam delivered may be fairly constant in temperature provided the supplies of fuel and water are constant. In practice this ideal is not realized and a normalizer, especially with a forced circulation type of boiler, is advantageous to correct variations in the steam temperature. Even With the close supervision which may be available in a large plant. the temperature cannot be closely regulated by varying the main water supply as the time lag is considerable and some of the boiler coils may be flooded at an inopportune time.

l It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a boiler regulatingr means which will afford substantial correspondence between the steam supply of the boiler and the steam demand.

Another object of my inventionV is to provide means for insuring a supply of steam at practically constant temperature.

My invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which with the foregoing, will beset forth at length in the following description where I shall outline in full that forni of the device of my invention, which I have selected for illustration in the drawing accon'lpanying and forming part of the present specification. In said drawing I have shown one form of the device embodying my invention, but'it is to be understood that I do not limit Amyself to such form since the invention as set forth in the claims may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

In the drawing The figure is a diagrammatic showing of the normalizer of my invention, the valve body being shown in transverse section and the boiler having a portion broken away to disclose the interior.

The normalizer of my invention prefer ably comprises means for introducing a primary supply of feed water into a boiler at a rate such that the heat of the fire willl gradually increase the temperature of the resultant steam in combination with means responsive to the temperature of steam in the boiler for introducing additional feed Water into the boiler for promptly influencing the temperature of steam being delivered by the y boiler.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawing, the boiler 6 is provided which may be of the single tube or forced circulation type. The tube 7 enters the boilercasing adjacent one end thereof,

Winds around and is coiled upon itself in the interior of the boiler casing and nally emerges vfrom the other end of the boiler. In a representative automotive installation, this evaporating tube is several hundred feet long and-receives feed Water at the inlet end and discharges superheated steam 'at the Outlet end. The boiler usually includes insulating material 8 for confining the heat from the burner, and acts primarily as a heat transfer device. The burner includes a -blower 3 for the combustible mixture, driven by a motor 4 connected thru a. circuit having a main switch 5 to a storage battery 49.

The feed Water is preferably supplied by posed adjacent the entrance to passage 13 from an enlarged chamber 19. The needle valve 18 is axially adjustable by rotation thereof to vary the annular opening between the needle and the passage 13. A packing gland 2l and packing nut 22 prevent leaks along the stem of the needle valve while a thumb wheel 23 facilitates its adjustment.

' but for the effect of a Differential pressures existing on opposite sides of the restricted orifice 17 are utilized to regulate the feed water How by means of a differential piston 24 mounted to'reciprocate in a cylinder 26 forming part of the valve body 9. The piston comprisesa a cup of cylindrical form having a conical valve 27 unitarily formed therewith and preferably provided with an interior annulus 28 positioning one end of a coil spring 29 Whose other end is similarly positioned on a movable vcap 31. The piston is therefore urged by the spring 29 to maintain the conical valve 27 seated at the head of a passage 32 ordinarily communicating with the passage 11 and connected to the source of feed Water supply so that water passing thru thepassage 32 is returned to the source. The valve 27 is opened by the piston 2 4 when the pressure in the passages 11 and 13 exceeds in a predetermined amount the pressure in passage 14. When the valve is opened, Water is released from' the conduit 12 and passage 11 and is returned to the source. This is the excess which is not required by the boiler'. A predetermined amount of Water is passed by the passage 14 and the conduit 16 to the boiler, and preferably is such an amount in relation to the heat of the lire that steam of excessive temperature would be produced supplementary, supply of feed water in accordance with my invention.

fice 17 thuscausing a substantially constant fiow of primary water.

The water introduced at the inlet of the tube 7 gradually absorbs the heat as it progresses along the tube and is converted first into wet steam and then into super-heated steam after which it is delivered from the outlet. The primary supply of water is such thatif it alone absorbed all the heat, the fire would producesteam atan excessive temperature. Ordinarily, therefore, the temperature of the issuing steam rises. There is consequently provided a temperature responsive means for effecting the influx of a sec- `The piston 24 and valve 27 maintain a' yconstant pressure head on the metering oriondary flow of feed water to the boiler in such a manner that the temperature is kept more nearly constant than has been the case in the past. The secondary supply absorbs enough heat to give the delivered steam the proper temperature. f

The passage l1 is continued in the valve body 9 to an enlarged chamber 33. Moving in chamber isa conical valve 34 which controls the movement of water from passage 11.to a passage 36 in a depending nipple 3T forming part of the valve body 9. A secondary conduit 38 leads from the passage 36 to the boiler 6. Valve'34'is mounted on a stem 39 passing thru a packing gland 41 and extending to a solenoid armature 42. The armature is surrounded by a coil 43 contained in ay housing 44 supported by studs 46 on the valve body 9. The upper end of the housing is closed by a cap 47 which confines a coil spring 48 between the cap and the armature 42 and normally urges valve 34' to be seated to prevent communication between passage 11 and passage 36.

Means are provided for energizing the solenoid to open valve 34 and permit communication between passages 11 and 36. This Vmeans includes an electric circuit having a source of electricity 49 one terminal of which is grounded at 51 and the other terminal of which is connected thru a switch having contacts 52 and 53 to the coil 43 and thence to a second ground 54. lVhen the solenoid is energized, the valve 34 is lifted and in order to energize the solenoid the contacts 52 and 53 must be in electrical union. The contacts are regulated by the temperature of the steam. This vis accomplished by means of a thermostat' comprising an inner rod 56 and an outer tube 57. The tube is in contact with the steam and is connected at one end to the fboiler tubewhile the other end is free to expand andis connected to the far end of the rod. The near end of the rod is connected to a lever 58 and pivots the lever about a stationar support 59 to move the contact 53 toward or away from the stationary contact 52.

When the steam temperature increases, the tube expands while the rod, being made of suitable material, expands a. considerably lesser amount. For that reason, as the temperature of the steam increases, the contacts 52- and 53 are closed and the solenoid is ener-v gized. The position of the thermostat is preferably proximate the outlet of the boiler so that the temperature Aof the issuing steam is effective upon the thermostat to regulate the solenoid 42. In one instance, the boiler series tube was vapproximately five hundred feet long and the thermostat was approximately tv venty feet from the inlet for the additional feed Water. It will therefore be appreciated that as the temperature adjacent the outlet increases,"the valve 34 is Cil opened permitting feed water from the passage 11 to go through the conduit 38 to the boiler. The additional feed water has the effeet of decreasing the temperature of the outgoing steam causing the temperature to fall sufficiently to open the contacts 52 and 53. The solenoid no longer being energized, valve 34 is seat-ed and no feed water passes thru conduit 38 to the boiler. The temperature of the issuing steam then commences to rise again.

Variations in feed water introduced to the boiler through conduit 16 are effective upon the thermostat 57 but the time lag is considerable owing to the length of tube thru which the water must pass before reaching the thermostat. It therefore occurs that in any system which depends upon variation in the amount of feed water introduced at the inlet of the boiler tube to affect a thermostat ad` jacent the outlet, the temperature is prone to vary between wide limits and to oscillate at either side of a desired value rather than to approximate closely the desired temperature as in the device of my inventlon.

To overcome this tendency toward hunt-- ing and to provide an automatic boiler regulation which will approximate very closely the desired temperature, I have provided means for maintaining the desired temperature of the boiler Within very close limits.

Vater which flows through passage 36 underthe control of valve 34 and the temperature actuated solenoid 42 is passed into the tube 7 at a region 61 remote from the inlet of the tube 7 and a short distance from the thermostat 57. I therefore provide two separate entrances for feed water into my boiler, one of them located at the tube inlet for the major 'portion of feed water and the other for corrective feed 'water introduced in re- .sponse to steam temperature located a short distance from the thermostat which is' affected by such temperature.

Feed water entering thru conduit 38in response to the normalizer operation has a prompt effect upon the thermostat. The introduced Water is caught up by the steam and is carried along the boiler tube. The water in becoming evaporated to steam absorbs heat from the tube 7 and the contained steam with the result that the thermostat is cooled. This effect is accomplished quickly, as the normalizer Water is introduced a short distance from the thermostat. It consequently occurs-that water passing thru passage 36 and conduit 38 has a prompt effect upon thermostat 57 which quickly affects valves 34. If the steam issuing from tube 7 shows even the slightest variation in temperature, the thermostat 57 is affected and varies the supply of feed water to the boiler thru the. lconduit 38. feed water in turn quickly affects the thermostat so that the total variation in tempera- This supply of This entirel device in practice provides an automatic system which furnishes steam of substantially constant temperature despite violent fluctuations in steam demand by the engine.

I claim:

1. A generating system for the production of super-heated vapor comprisin a boiler including a' long tube into one en( of which feed liquid is forced and from the other end of which super-heated vapor issues', a conduit for conductingr the fluid to said one end of said tube, a differential orifice in said conduit, ahy-pass operated by the difference in pressure on opposite sides of said orifice for releasing said fluid from said conduit, a thermostat in said boiler responsive to super- -heated steam temperature, a second conduit conducting feed fluid to said boiler and discharging thereinto close to said thermostat, the total feed fluid conducted to s'aid boiler tube being in such an amount that only superheated steam discharges from said tube, and

Aa valve controlling the flow through said second conduit in response to said thermostat.

2. A super-heated vapor generating system comprising a boiler including a long tube having an inlet at one end into which feed liquid is forced and an outlet at the other from which all of said feed liquid issues as super-heated vapor, a thermostat close to the outlet end of said tube and responsive to steam temperature in saidv tube, means for introducing feed liquid int-o the inlet end of said tube, and means controlled b v said thermostat for introducing feed liquid into said tube close to said thermostat, the total feed vliquid introduced by both of said means being in such an amount that only superheated vapor issues from said outlet.

3. A superheated vapor generating system comprising a relatively long tube in which fluid is. heated` -means for introducing an amount ofliquid into the inlet end of said tube, a thermostat responsive to superheated vapor temperature located close to the outlet end of said tube from which all of said amount of liquid issues as superheated vapor. and means for introducing an additional amount of liquid into said tube between said inlet and said thermostat for regulating the temperature of superheated vapor issuing from said outlet, the total of said amounts of liquid being such that only superheated vapor vissues from said outlet.

4. A vapor generatmg system comprising aboiler, with a long tube having an inlet and an outlet through which all the fluid contents of said boiler are discharged as superheated vapor, means for introducing feed liquid into said inlet, a thermostat responsive to vapor temperature close to said outlet, and means controlled by said thermostat for introducing a supplementary supply of feed fiuid into the vapor in said tube, the total feed liquid supplied by both of said means being such that only superheated vapor is discharged from said otlet.

5. A vapor generating system comprising a boiler withl a tube having an inlet and., an outlet, a source of feed water, a conduit for conducting said feed water to said inlet, :a restricted orifice in said conduit, means affected by the differential pressure on opposite sides of said orice for releasing water from said conduit, asecond conduit for introducing feed waterat a second point in said boiler tube, a valve for controlling said second conduit, and a thermostat proximate the outlet of said tube for regulating said valve.- i

(i. A vapor generating system comprising a boiler, a source of feed water, a conduit for conducting feed water to said boiler, a restriction in said conduit, a piston movable in response to differential pressure on opposite sides of the restriction, a valve operated by said piston for releasing water from said conduit, a second conduit connected to said first conduit for conducting feed water to said boiler at a point remote from said first conduit, a valve for controlling the flow through said-second conduit, and a thermostatresponsive to steam temperature proximate the outlet of said boiler for regulating said valve. e ik,

7. A vapor generating system comprising a boiler, a source of feed water, a conduit connecting said source of feed water to said boiler, a variable restriction in said conduit, a piston communicating on opposite sides with opposite sides of said restriction, a valve controlled by said piston for releasing water from said conduit between said restrictionV and said source, a second valve for releasing water from said conduit between said restriction and said source, a second conduit for conducting water released by said second valve to said boiler at a different point than the first named conduit, a solenoid for actuating said second valve, a circuit for said solenoid, .and a thermostat in said boiler for controlling said circuit.

8. A vapor generating system comprising a boiler, a source of feed water supply, a valve body having a passage therein, a restriction in said passage, a conduit connecting one end of said passage to said source of feed water,

a conduit connecting the other end of said passage to said boiler, a piston in said body and subject on opposite sides to the pressure onzopposite sides of said restriction, a valve in said body connected to said piston to control the release from said body of feed water between said first-named conduit and said restriction, a second valve in said body 'to control the release from' said body of feed water between said first-named conduit and said restriction, a conduit for conducting water released by said second valve to said boilenat a point different from the point of connection of said second named conduit to said boiler, and a thermostat responsive to and means controlled by said thermostat for introducing additional feed fluid into the heated fluid, the total amount of feed Huid being such with respect to said supply of heat that only superheated vapor is produced.

10. A vapor generating system comprising a boiler including a long tube having an outlet through which will the fluid contents of said tube are discharged as superheated vapor, a conduit conducting a regulated supply of feed liquid into the liquid zone of said tube, a thermostat responsive to vapor temperature in the vapor zone of said tube, a second conduit conducting feed liquid and discharging into the vapor zone of said tube, and means for controlling the flow through said second conduit in response to said thermostat. the total supply of feed liquid being A.

such that only superheated vapor is discharged from said outlet.

11. A vapor generating system compris` ing a relatively long tube through which fluid must flow in a single predetermined path said tube having a single outlet through which all the fluid contents of said tube are discharged as superheated vapor, means for introducing feed liquid into the inlet end of said tube, means for heating said introduced fluid in excess of a predetermined temperature, a thermostat responsive to excess temperature in said tube, means for introducing additional feed liquid into said tube adjacent said thermostat, and means responsive to said thermostat for energizing said last-named means, the total amount of feed liquid introduced by both of said introducing means being such that only superheated vapor is discharged from said outlet.

12. A vapor generating system comprising a relatively long tube, means for forcing a regulated supply of feed fluid into said tube adjacent one end th'ereof, means for delivering a regulated4 supply of heat to said tube whereby the temperature of said introduced feed fluid tends to increase above a predetermined value, a thermostat responsive to temperature adjacent to but spaced from the' other end of said tube, and means controlled by said thermostat for introducing additional feed fluid into said tube adjacent said thermostat when said temperature exceeds said predetermined value, the total amount of feed .fluid introduced into said tube being suchV that all of'it is discharged from the other end of said tube as superheated vapor.

13. A normalizer comprising a relatively long tube having an' inlet and an outlet, means for heating said tube, means for forcing into said tubea quantity of water such that all ofl said water is discharged from said outlet as useful superheated steam, a major part of said water being forced in through said inlet and traversing the entire length of said tube, and the remaining part of said Water being forced into said tube between said inlet and said outlet and traversing only part of the entire length of said tube, and means responsive to temperature of superheated steam in said tube for controlling the forcingof said remaining part of said Water into said tube. f

14. A vapor generator adaptedto discharge superheated. steam for use, comprising a relatively1 long tube the outlet of which is the outlet of said generator, means for forcing waterlinto the inlet of said tube, means for forcing water into said tube between said inlet and said'outletmeans for furnishing said tube with suiiicient heat to convert all ofsaid water into superheated steam for discharge from said outlet, and means responsive to temperature of superheated steam in said tube for controlling said second-named forcing means.

15. A normalizer comprising a relatively long tube having at one end an outlet adapted to discharge as a finished product steam having a predetermined super-heat, said tube having at the other end a first inlet, a second inlet between the ends of said tube, means for heating said tube, means for forcing such-an amount of Water into said iirst inlet and through said entire tube that steam of excessive superheat would be discharged from said outlet, a thermostat between said second inlet and said outlet, and means controlled by said thermostat for forcingan additional amount of water into said second inlet Vand throughr the Y remainder of said tube whereby steam of predetermined superheat only is discharged from said outlet.

16. A normalizer comprising a relatively long tube having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end and adapted to discharge steam of a predetermined superheat from said outlet for use in a steam user, means for heatin said tube, means for forcing water into said inlet whereby all of said water is converted into steam, a thermostat responsive to the temperature of said steam,

and means controlled by said thermostat forv water and emitted from the end of said ,tubeY to exceed a certain desired amount, together vWith means for introducing additional feed water into an intermediate portion of saidV tube under control of a thermostat respon- -sive to temperature adjacent said portion of said tube for the purpose of preventingthe degree of superheat of the emitted steam from exceeding said amount, the net result being to hold the degree of superheatat such `desired amount.

18. A normalizer comprising a relatively l long tube having a first inlet at one en'd thereof, an outlet at the other end thereof, and a second inlet between the ends thereof, said tube being otherwise continuous and closed;

means for heating said tube; a til-st means for introducing the feed liquid into said first inlet; a second means for introducing feed liquid into said second inlet; a thermostat responsive to temperature between said second inlet and said outlet, and means responsive to said thermostat for controlling said 'second means; the amount of feed liquid introduced by said first means and saidsecond mea-ns being such that only superheated vapor is discharged from said outlet.

19. A normalizer comprising a relatively long tube having an inlet and an outlet at opposite ends thereof, a second inlet between the first mentioned inlet and said outlet, means for heating said tube, means for forcing into said tube through said inlet a yquantity of water such that all of said watenis discharged from said outlet as superheated steam, and means responsive to the temperature of the superheated steam for controlling the introduction of water through said second inlet. l

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto vset my hand.

' WARREN DOBLE.

Anu; 

